Bayliss and Biaggi called up to help Ducati MotoGP
It's all hands to the pumps for Ducati's MotoGP effort as Ducati WSB big guns, Biaggi and Bayliss are wheeled in for testing duties
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54 years 8 monthsDUCATI’S ailing MotoGP assault looks set to call in the big guns to try and get the red bike’s development back on course – and it appears that the Italian bosses have already spoken to Troy Bayliss and Max Biaggi for help.
Livio Suppo, Sporting Director of the Ducati MotoGP effort said: “It is not a an easy situation to try and solve our problems right now. We are considering having a test with Max and with Troy.
"We have two pilots in World Superbike with a lot of experience in MotoGP who have different styles. Both of them are very fast with our Superbike in their championship so it could be interesting to have their opinions on our MotoGP bike."
And it seems likely to happen, especially after Biaggi said that he would be happy to test for the Ducati team after revealing he is already in talks with the Italian squad. Ducati's official tester Vittoriano Guareschi is out of action after injuring himself in a crash during testing at Mugello, Vitto suffered a damaged coccyx in the tumble.
Biaggi told Gassetta dello Sport: "If I can help I'll be happy to. I've spoken with Suppo about it, and there's the will to do the test, let's see when and what kind of work they're thinking of. Even a two-day test can be useful.
"Mugello is a selective track, where Ducati have a lot of reference points. And for me it wouldn't be tricky to familiarize again with a MotoGP bike, I don't think it's so different from the ones I used to ride."
But mighty Max was eager to quash rumours about him returning to the MotoGP class, adding: "I've never thought about it. I'm in Superbikes and I enjoy myself there. I have no regrets about MotoGP.”
Hands up who actually believes that? No, us neither.